Wiki Weapons goes commercial?
Cody Wilson, the brains behind Defence Distributed, has acquired a firearms license -- which means he can now sell as well as manufacture 3D printed guns.
Defense Distributed, the organization behind the Wiki Weapons project, posted on its Facebook group Saturday that a firearms license has been acquired -- and a picture of the Type 7 license was uploaded to prove it.
See also: The results of Wiki Weapons gun testing
Wilson, who has been exploring the potential of using downloadable blueprints to create parts for guns at home, told Ars Technica that he can now "sell some of the pieces that we've been making," and the license also allows his team to do "firearms transactions and transport." In other words, printing guns is now not only experimental -- but could become commercial.
Gun prototypes using 3D printing technology have been created by DD for months. Recently, the team revealed the results of testing an AR-15 semi-automatic; although not entirely successful, it did show the potential of DIY gun-part printing.
However, Cody doesn't plan on manufacture until he receives an "add-on" to the license, the Class 2 Special Occupational Taxpayer (SOT), which would allow him to manufacture a wider range of guns -- including fully-automatic rifles.
Via: Ars Technica
Image credit: Defense Distributed
Related:
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- A DRM protected chair that explodes after use
- World's first 3D printing pen hits the market
- 3D printing bubble bursts; Obama comments 'overhyped'
- Printable organs? Breakthrough: 3D-printed stem cells
- Plan to create 3D-printed moonbase unveiled
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com